France

White Riesling 2020

Domaine Einhart
Riesling, the lord of Eastern grape varieties, finds here an expression worthy of its nobility. The color is a beautiful orange-yellow. The initial nose is very refined, slightly musky, with notes of grapefruit and dandelion. The second nose is fresher and mineral, with aromas of thyme, aromatic herbs, and flint. The palate begins with liveliness and beautiful verticality; the minerality is typical of limestone. Dried herbs return before a persistent finish with a remarkable salinity. Light skin maceration is successful in Riesling, and this one is no exception. The twenty-five-year-old vines grow on the muschelkalk (oolitic limestone) terroirs of Westerberg, Molsheimgass, and Fleckstein. The grapes are harvested by hand and then destemmed. Maceration, using indigenous yeasts, takes between four and eight days. Aging on fine lees is ten months in tuns, followed by bottling without filtration. From the vine to the cellar, this wine was made without any additives. Decanting is recommended so that it can spread its wings and express its mineral notes.

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Located in the northern part of the Alsatian vineyard, horizontally above Strasbourg, the Einhart estate is a ten-hectare family estate whose vines are located on the hillsides that rise between the Alsace plain and the Vosges mountains. The soil is clay-limestone and rich in fossils (muschelkalk, i.e. shell limestone and oolite limestone, and lettenkohle or dolomitic limestone). Since 1990, Nicolas Einhart has been at the helm, now assisted by his son Théo. True to his commitments to the TIFLO association, of which he is co-founder, Nicolas devotes his winemaking work to the protection of the land and biodiversity, winemaking without inputs, the refusal of harmful phytosanitary products and the maintenance of ecological refuge zones. His estate has been certified organic since 2011. Like Jean-Marc Dreyer, he is resolutely moving towards skin maceration and produces white maceration wines (orange wines) in addition to a Pinot Noir red. Entirely manual harvesting, destemming of the bunches, light punching down and delicate pressing are characteristic of the estate, as well as the separate vinification of each terroir, aging on lees and the absence of filtration before bottling. The wines are pure grape, lively, powerful, invigorating, and transcribe the minerality of the very beautiful terroirs of the Vosges foothills.

La Désirée Blanc 2018,

La Grapperie
In the Coteaux du Loir appellation, La Grapperie is the name of Renaud Guettier's estate, which can be described as a master of Chenin, but also of Pineau d'Aunis, one of the oldest grape varieties in the Loire Valley. His principle, he explains, is "to produce complex, rich wines with good aging potential and imbued with the minerality of their terroir." The vines are located on hillsides between 60 and 120 meters above sea level, protected from the north winds by the Bercé forest. Depending on the altitude, the terroirs are dominated by clay (at the bottom of the slope), flint (mid-slope), or sand (at the top). The 60-hectare vineyard comprises around fifteen plots. The grape varieties are the two traditionally permitted in the appellation: Chenin for the whites and Pineau d'Aunis for 90% of the reds, the remainder consisting of a few acres of Côt, Gamay, and Grolleau. The average age of the vines is seventy years, including almost two hectares of century-old vines and one and a half hectares of vines aged between sixty and eighty years. Convinced of the enormous potential that these old vines can bring to his vintages, Renaud has been meticulous in restoring the vineyard. The entire estate is farmed organically. The soils are worked, and all viticultural interventions are manual, including the harvest, which is carried out at full maturity, which is reflected in the fullness and smoothness of the wines. For the reds, the Pineaux d'Aunis are partially destemmed (depending on the plot) and the macerations are quite long, three to four weeks, with punching down, to promote aging potential. The wines are aged in barrels for between twelve and twenty-four months, then racked, blended and bottled without filtration. For the whites, the Chenins are pressed directly at low pressure and then poured into barrels by gravity. Fermentation takes place in barrels, using indigenous yeasts, with complete malolactic fermentation, for at least eighteen months and sometimes up to thirty-six months.
Désirée is an all-Chenin obtained from flint clay on a limestone base at an altitude of 100 meters. The vines are between fifty and one hundred and fifteen years old. The grapes are processed by direct pressing and all the work on the juices and wines is done by gravity. Aging is twenty-four months on lees in barrels in cellars dug into the tuffeau. It is a wine that one undresses with the eye, which seduces with its nose of bitter almond, prolonged in the mouth by tenderly buttery notes, touches of white fruits and nuts, counterbalanced by a very clear acidity.

Auxey Duresses Les Crais Blanc 2019,

Domaine de Chassorney
Through his entirely natural work, Frédéric Cossard gives voice to the terroirs and Burgundy wines, undistorted by agricultural chemicals. Having observed, during his years of trading, the existence of harmful viticultural practices, the winemaker used this counterexample to practice unadulterated viticulture. Thus, he produces vintages of purity and elegance without artifice that are among the most sought-after in Burgundy. Frédéric worked for some time as a wine broker before creating the Chassorney estate with his partner Laure in 1996: initially a few ares of vines in Saint-Romain, Auxey-Duresses and Savigny-lès-Beaune, and currently ten hectares spread across the Nuits-Saint-Georges, Pommard, Volnay, Bourgogne-Hautes-Côtes-de-Beaune and Bourgogne appellations. In 2006, he created his own wine trading house and buys organic grapes to vinify, according to his style and convictions, great vintages such as Meursault, Puligny-Montrachet, Chassagne-Montrachet, Pommard, Nuits-Saint-Georges, Chambolle-Musigny, Vosne-Romanée and several Beaujolais crus. The exercise is not limited to Burgundy, as vintages are made from grapes purchased in the Jura or Languedoc. At his place, the work of the soil and the vines is done as naturally as possible: regular plowing by horse, no addition of chemical fertilizers or weedkillers. The vines are cared for according to the principles of biodynamics: homeopathic treatments based on essential oils, copper, and sulfur in minimal doses. The harvest is entirely manual, carried out at full maturity, at the end of October. Red or white, classic Burgundies or more atypical or less "regional" bottles, Frédéric's vintages are rare and sought-after wines, which sometimes require waiting.
This white Auxey-Duresses produced on the Crais plot is remarkably pure in expression. The maturity of the grapes is exceptional and is felt in the form of a pleasant roundness and generous fruit. Lots of straightness, elegance, complexity and tension.
Natural wine with no added sulfites.

Sans Ordonnance Rouge 2019,

Les Vignes du Domaine du Temps
This estate is located in Cabardès, a small region of Languedoc that was once a subdivision of Cathar Country. Stretching from the southern slope of the Montagne Noire to the city of Carcassonne, it is bordered to the west by the Lauragais and to the east by the Minervois. Hilly, wild, and rich in Mediterranean flora, it is a preserved ecosystem, especially since the Domaine du Temps, in the Font Juvénal area, is a magical place: around a former 18th-century priory, sixty hectares of forests and scrubland protect thirteen hectares of vineyards on stony clay-limestone soils. The balance between dryness and coolness is a boon for viticulture, with a wide range of grape varieties. In addition to the Languedoc grape varieties (Syrah, Grenache, Roussanne, Viognier, Muscat), Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Sémillon, and Chenin are grown. The estate has been Ecocert certified since 1998, is entirely managed biodynamically, and has been dedicated to natural wine since 2015. The work in the vineyard and cellar is methodical, rigorous, and attentive: only the best grapes are kept, resulting in small yields, and destemming is decided based on the ripeness of the bunch. The reds are vinified using carbonic maceration of individual grape varieties, with the blending taking place before the year's aging. The whites are slowly and gently pressed to extract only the best from the grapes. These precautions produce smooth, controlled wines of great integrity, with very supple tannins. They are fresh, delicious, and expressive.
Made of equal parts Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, it evokes a Bordeaux blend. Yes, but... both varieties grew under the Cathar sun and, in addition to the freshness and seriousness of the Gironde model, offer very different, sunny, and generous notes. Vinification is done in concrete vats after destemming, before aging for twelve months in old barrels. This wine confirms the straightforwardness that is the style of the estate, and the melting tannins are remarkable: no astringency, but fruit, maturity, minerality, a note of plum and salinity on the finish. Fresh, ripe, and balanced, it is a solid barrel that will lend itself to all occasions and all meals.
Natural wine with no added sulfites.

Bigotes Blanc 2019,

Frédéric Cossard
Through his entirely natural work, Frédéric Cossard gives voice to the terroirs and Burgundy wines, undistorted by agricultural chemicals. Having observed, during his years as a wine merchant, the existence of harmful viticultural practices, the winemaker used this counterexample to practice unadulterated viticulture. Thus, he produces vintages of unadulterated purity and elegance that are among the most sought-after in Burgundy. Frédéric worked as a wine broker for some time before creating the Chassorney estate with his partner Laure in 1996: initially a few ares of vines in Saint-Romain, Auxey-Duresses and Savigny-lès-Beaune, and currently ten hectares spread across the Nuits-Saint-Georges, Pommard, Volnay, Bourgogne Hautes Côtes de Beaune and Bourgogne appellations. In 2006, he created his own wine trading house and buys organic grapes to vinify, according to his style and convictions, great vintages such as Meursault, Puligny-Montrachet, Chassagne-Montrachet, Pommard, Nuits-Saint-Georges, Chambolle-Musigny, Vosne-Romanée and several Beaujolais crus. The practice is not limited to Burgundy since vintages are made from grapes purchased in the Jura or Languedoc. At his place, the work of the soil and the vines is done as naturally as possible: regular plowing by horse, no addition of chemical fertilizers or weedkillers. The vines are cared for according to the principles of biodynamics: homeopathic treatments based on essential oils, copper and sulfur in minimal doses. The harvest is entirely manual, carried out at full maturity, at the end of October. Red or white, classic Burgundies or more atypical or less "regional" bottles, Frédéric's vintages are rare and coveted wines, which sometimes need to be waited for.
The Bigotes white is made from a small plot of Chardonnay in the Burgundy regional appellation. It is, in a way, the white counterpart of the Bedeau red. The aromatic attack is distinctly lemony and continues with yellow fruits. On the palate, tension, fullness, indulgence, a little fat and a lot of persistence. For a generic, it soars at a beautiful height.
Natural wine with no added sulfites.

Beaune Les Bressandes Blanc 2019,

Fréderic Cossard
Through his entirely natural work, Frédéric Cossard gives voice to the terroirs and Burgundy wines, undistorted by agricultural chemicals. Having observed, during his years of trading, the existence of harmful viticultural practices, the winemaker used this counterexample to practice unadulterated viticulture. Thus, he produces vintages of unadulterated purity and elegance that are among the most sought-after in Burgundy. Frédéric worked as a wine broker for some time before creating the Chassorney estate with his partner Laure in 1996: initially a few ares of vines in Saint-Romain, Auxey-Duresses and Savigny-lès-Beaune, and currently ten hectares spread across the Nuits-Saint-Georges, Pommard, Volnay, Bourgogne Hautes Côtes de Beaune and Bourgogne appellations. In 2006, he created his own wine trading house and buys organic grapes to vinify, according to his style and convictions, great vintages such as Meursault, Puligny-Montrachet, Chassagne-Montrachet, Pommard, Nuits-Saint-Georges, Chambolle-Musigny, Vosne-Romanée and several Beaujolais crus. The practice is not limited to Burgundy since vintages are made from grapes purchased in the Jura or Languedoc. At his place, the work of the soil and the vines is done as naturally as possible: regular plowing by horse, no addition of chemical fertilizers or weedkillers. The vines are cared for according to the principles of biodynamics: homeopathic treatments based on essential oils, copper and sulfur in minimal doses. The harvest is entirely manual, carried out at full maturity, at the end of October. Reds or whites, classic Burgundies or more atypical or less "regional" bottles, Frédéric's vintages are rare and sought-after wines, which sometimes need to be waited for.
This Chardonnay in AOC Beaune comes from the plot that gave its name to the cuvée, located between 220 and 300 meters above sea level. The terroir, exposed from east to south, rests on soils dominated by limestone formations at the top, marl in the center and clay at the foot of the hill. The grapes macerate in whole bunches. Aged for about a year in barrels. Deep and mineral, this wine is perfect for romantic occasions, fish, and seafood.
Natural wine with no added sulfites.

Chatzen Blanc 2017

La Sorga
Anthony Tortul loves old vineyards: he devotes his life to finding and vinifying them. Just as there are landless shepherds, he can be defined as a landless winegrower, in other words, a wine merchant whose scope extends throughout Languedoc and, eastward, as far as Châteauneuf-du-Pape, in search of the best terroirs. Born in Foix, with six years of experience as a wine technician and oenologist in various vineyards in the south of France, he created La Sorga in 2008. His enthusiasm leads him on a path filled with favorites, and each of these favorites is a vineyard. The result is a dizzying mosaic of natural, lively, and spirited wines, which reinvents itself each year with around thirty cuvées per vintage. Few winemakers can list such a variety of grape varieties on their list: the whole of southern France is covered with muscats, grenaches, picpoul, mauzac, carignan, cinsault, marsanne, alicante, braucol, duras, viognier, len-de-l’el, and all the rest.
This wine is a blend of seventy percent sauvignon blanc (twenty-eight-year-old vines) and thirty percent chasan (a cross between listan and chardonnay; forty-three-year-old vines) from sandy limestone soils near Carcassonne. The chasan is processed by direct pressing and the sauvignon macerates in the must in whole bunches for four months. The aging is three years in old barrels, without topping up. This explains the controlled oxidative character of this wine, with a nose of veil (walnut husk) and stewed tropical fruits, dried banana, curry... and the aromatic, straight, long and complex palate, well tannic. The aging potential is enormous but the wine already stands out for gastronomy and the most refined dishes on the most joyful tables.
Natural wine without added sulfites.

Magnum Feu III Blanc 2019,

La Sorga
Anthony Tortul loves old vineyards: he devotes his life to finding and vinifying them. Just as there are landless shepherds, he can be defined as a landless winegrower, in other words, a wine merchant whose scope extends throughout Languedoc and, eastward, as far as Châteauneuf-du-Pape, in search of the best terroirs. Born in Foix, with six years of experience as a viticultural technician and oenologist in various vineyards in the south of France, he founded La Sorga in 2008. His enthusiasm leads him on a path filled with love at first sight, and each of these loves is a vineyard. The result is a stunning mosaic of natural, lively, and spirited wines, reinvented each year with around thirty cuvées per vintage. Few winemakers can include such a variety of grape varieties: the entire south of France is included, with muscats, grenaches, picpoul, mauzac, carignan, cinsault, marsanne, alicante, braucol, duras, viognier, len-de-l’el, and all the rest. Two terroirs contributed to this very southern white wine: the Villafranchian limestone of Pézenas, in the Hérault valley, and the clay-limestone soils of Marseillan, on the Languedoc coast. The blend is composed of eighty percent Grenache Blanc (vines aged sixty years) and the rest Grenache Gris (vines aged twenty years). The two Grenaches are vinified separately in "dip" (maceration of berries or whole bunches in the must obtained by direct pressing), twenty days for the white Grenache and fifteen days for the gray Grenache. Aging is seven months in vats. With a nose of pear, slightly fennel, a hint of camphor, with the delicious notes of the infusion, we feel that this wine is made for grilled fish and seafood dishes from the Languedoc coast. The palate is full, round, very energetic, aromatic, also carried on white fruits.
Natural wine without added sulfites.

Trachéo 2012

Jean-Louis Pinto
This pure Grenache comes from the schist soils of Faugères. It is a superb wine, fine and fresh, beautifully fruity. It has aging potential for six or seven years, but can be enjoyed now. Nose of raspberry, rose, licorice, and Languedoc garrigue. On the palate, very well-integrated tannins. Beautiful energy, sunshine, and plenty of structure.

Natural wine with no added sulfites.

Lulu Rouge 2019,

Patrick Bouju
In Corent, a basalt plot planted with Gamay d'Auvergne grapes over seventy years old has produced this delicious and velvety Lulu cuvée, with animal and spicy notes, and where the red fruits are generously displayed. The destemmed harvest macerates for five months in amphorae. Aged for twelve months in oak barrels. Decanting recommended.
Natural wine with no added sulfites.

Fable Rouge 2019,

Le Raisin Et L'Ange
70% Syrah, 30% Grenache: a typical blend from the southern Rhône Valley, vinified here using spontaneous carbonic maceration. The wine is aged in 30% oak barrels and 70% stainless steel vats. No sulfites are added, and no clarification or filtration is used before bottling. Dense, fresh, and fluid, it is already delicious but will benefit from ageing, up to ten years if you can manage it.

Pause Canon Rouge 2020,

Le Raisin Et L'Ange
Almost entirely Gamay, with ten percent Merlot, all vinified using spontaneous carbonic maceration. No sulfiting, clarification, or filtration at bottling. Dense, fresh, and fluid, it encourages conviviality and good humor. A wine full of fruit, sap, and character that is easy to drink and enjoyable, preferably in pleasant and large groups.

Les Pradels Rouge 2019, Domaine Bois Moisset
Les Pradels is made entirely from Syrah from twenty-year-old vines growing on the pebble and gravel soils of the third terrace of the Tarn, facing east and northwest. The harvest is vatted in whole bunches for an eleven-day carbonic maceration. The wine, made from a blend of free-run juice and press wine, is aged for six months and bottled without filtration. It is fruity and delicious, with notes of red and black fruits: blackcurrant, blackberry, morello cherry.

Puligny Montrachet 1er Cru Garennes Blanc 2018, Frederic Cossard
This premier cru of Puligny-Montrachet comes from Chardonnays grown on the plot that gave its name to the cuvée, between 230 and 250 meters above sea level. The terroir, facing west-southeast, rests on brown marl and clay-limestone soils, sometimes directly on the limestone rock. The soil structure is fine, clay-silt. After direct pressing of the grapes, the aging is about a year in barrels. The wine is typically Puligny: buttery, mineral, complex, structured in layers.
Natural wine with no added sulfites.

Pairs with: Lobster, Oysters and Shellfish, Poultry Stew, Cooked Fish

Magnum Savigny les Beaune Les Gollardes Rouge 2018, Frederic Cossard
The Gollardes climate is located in the northern part of the Savigny-les-Beaune valley. The soil is gravelly and the exposure is south. A superb fruit, concentrated, fresh and very fine, for this Pinot Noir which will benefit from a few years in the cellar to express its full dimension and its ample notes of licorice. Its aging potential is around ten years.
Natural wine without added sulfites.